Egg case cover



May 16, 1933. w. GREEN 1,909,345

EGG CASE COVER Filed April 18, 1932 Patented May 16, 1933 Unirse STATES WILBUR B. GREEN, or tomaron, IOWA'- EGG CASE COVER Appncatibn mea April 1e, 1932. serial No.` 605,948.

The object of my invention is to provide a cover for an egg case or the like of very simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

l have provided an egg case with a cover so arranged that the cover may be taken-0E or put on with a minimum of laborand yet cannot accidentally become displaced.

lt is my purpose to provide a cover so constructed that it is readily detachable and that it is not necessary to drive nails each time the cover is put on.

Another object is to provide such a cover which can loe detachably put on or removed from the case and which is a strong enough construction that it may be repeatedly used.

Vith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my egg case cover, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: C

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an egg case equipped with a cover embodyingz my invention.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of the cover, parts being broken away. v

Figure 3 is a detail, vertical, sectional view taken through one end of the case and cover. j

Figure 4 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2; and v Figure 5 is a top or plan view of the cover and case illustrating the cover in position partially removed. y

In Figure 1 of the drawing herewith, which illustrates my invention, lv have shown an egg case 10 having a cover 12. The egg case has at its ends adjacent its top the exterior cleats 14.

It is the commonV practice to nail covers to egg cases. This takes time, requires the maintenance of a supply` of nails, and keeping a hammer convenient of access. The

covers wear out quickly and after a certain amount of such use, the cleats will not hold nails. My invention largely eliminates these objections to nailing the tops to the cases. v

The cover 12 is of ordinary construction except for the features to be mentioned.

Vhen the cover 12 is made of thin wood, I fasten toy each end thereof on the under surface a transverse strip 16 of sheet metal by 55 means of rivets 18 or by any other suitable and convenient means. The 'edge of the cover is then provided at one end with the slots 2O which are preferably somewhat elongated lengthwise of the cover, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5.'

Corresponding narrower slots 22 are provided in the edge of the metal strip V16 at that end of the top 12 (Figure 2). The slots 22 are of such width that a nail can be driven 65 through them. y

The slots 22 and 2O are of such proportions that a headed nail 21 can be used and the head will not pass through the slot 22, but can be driven into the slot 20 so that it may 70 be used for fastening purposes and yet will not project above the upper surface of the top 12 when the top is installed on the case 10.

It will, of course, be obvious that it would be possible `to use other materials for the egg case cover in which similar results could be secured without using the separate strip 16.

Y At the other end of the cover 12, the edge of the cover above thestrip 16 is cut out to 80 form notches 24, which may be longer transversely of the cover. Inthe portions of the sheet 16 exposed by cutting out the notches 24, I provide transversely arranged keyhole slots 26. rlhese are so arranged that a nail vmay be driven through the narrow part of each one into the end of the case 10. The

cover will then be held in place by the four nails as illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.

To prevent any accidental movement of the cover whichwould bring the larger parts of the slots -26 into registration with the nails,

-I`have provided a locking clip 28. This is pivoted on a rivet orthe like 30 near one of the slots 26 and is so located that it can be 95 swung to position whereit will be in liney betweenv the rivet 80 and the adjacent nail 21 y as illustrated in Figure 4.

The clips 28are resilient and are normally so shaped and arranged that when the clip is 10G over the hole 26, its end will tend to spring into the hole as shown in Figure 4.

The spring clip can easily be lifted and swung around away from the hole 26 for permitting the removal of the cover 12.

After the clip has been released, the cover is moved horizontally to twist it slightly on the case, for instance to position shown in Figure 5, whereupon the larger ends of the slots 26 will have been moved to position to register with the nails 21 in said slots.

The end of the cover 12 having the slots 26 can then be lifted enough to clear such nails 21 and slide endwise to clear the nails 21 at the other end of the case.

It is, of course, obvious that keyhole slots could be used at both ends of the cover if that seemed desirable. In such case, I would prefer to use at each end a locking device of some sort designed to serve the function of the spring clip 28.

It will, of course, be obvious that other arrangements of the slots 22 and 26 might be made and that other kinds of locking means might be employed without departing from the real spirit of my invention. For example, it is not material whether the slots 22 be elongated lengthwise of the cover and the slots 26 elongated transversely of the cover as shown, or whether the slots 22 be elongated transversely of the cover and the slots 26 lengthwise of the cover, and in my claims in defining the direction of the elongation of these slots I do so, for purpose of defining their general relationship without the intention of limiting them to the exact arrangement thus mentioned.

' In Figure 3 I have shown the nail 21 driven into the cleat lll but it is obvious that it may be driven into the case proper if desired without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It is my purpose to cover by my claims any modifications in structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a structure of the kind described, a case and a cover, the cover being provided on its under side at its opposite ends with reinforcing strips, the reinforcing at one end having open-ended slots elongated lengthwise of the cover, the reinforcing at the other end having keyhole slots elongated transversely of the cover, the cover having notches to expose said slots.

2. In a structure of the kind described, a case and a cover, the cover being provided on its underside at its opposite ends with reinforcing strips, the reinforcing at one end having open-ended slots elongated lengthwise of the cover, the reinforcing at the other end having keyhole slots elongated transversely'of the cover, the cover having notches to expose said slots, and adjustable means carried by the cover to stand in the path of a nail extending through the narrow part of one of the keyhole slots for preventing movement of the cover or such nail to bring the larger part of the slot to register with the nailhead.

3. In a structure of the kind described, a case and a cover, the cover being provided at one end with slots of such size that nails may be driven therethrough into the case for holding the cover in place, the slots at one end having enlarged portions and the parts being arranged so that the cover may be moved to position where the large portions of the slots register with the nails of such slots for permitting the removal of the cover, and a means for preventing movement of the cover which would bring the enlarged portions of the slots to registry with such nails, said means comprising a spring clip pivotally mounted at one end and adapted to have its other end moved to position adjacent a hole in the narrow parts of the slots having the enlarged portions and to spring into such slots.

4. In a structure of the kind described, the combination of a case having headed nails, projecting upwardly at both ends, with a cover provided at one of its ends with openended slots extending lengthwise of the cover adapted to receive the Shanks of the nails at one end of the case and provided with laterally extending key-hole slots at its other end adapted to receive the nails at the other end of the case, the parts being arranged so thatJ when the cover is in normal closure position the nails will hold it in place, and so that by moving laterally the end of the cover having the key-hole slots, the heads of the nails in said key-hole slots may be brought to register with the large ends of such slots for permitting removal of the cover.

5. An egg case cover having at one end an opened ended slot extending lengthwise of the cover and at the other end a key-hole slot extending cross-wise of the Cover, and a member associated with the cover adjacent the key-hole slot mounted for movement from and to position where it will engage an element projected through the key-hole slot for preventing movement of the cover to position where the element might register with the enlarged portion of the key-hole slot.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 13, 1932.

WILBUR B. GREEN. 

